Other Leaves with Pay

Bereavement Leave (Applies to All Employees)

The university recognizes the need for employees to be away from work upon the death of an immediate family member. An employee, upon request, shall be granted three (3) days of administrative leave with pay upon the death of any member of the employee's immediate family. If more than three (3) days' absence is necessary to arrange for the disposition of remains or to attend a funeral or memorial service, including reasonable travel time, employees may use accrued sick leave.

An immediate family member is defined as an individual who is considered a biological, foster, or adoptive parent, a step-parent, spouse, qualifying adult (see definition), a biological, adoptive, or foster child, a step-child, a legal ward or a person whom the employee has (or had during the person's youth) daily responsibility and financial support, mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, husband, wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparents, and grandchildren of both the employee and spouse or qualifying adult.

If employees desire additional time off from work in conjunction with Bereavement Leave for other reasons (such as spending time with extended family members or probating an estate) employees may request time off using personal days, vacation leave, and/or leave without pay consistent with appropriate leave policies. Supervisory approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

Community Service Leave (Applies to All Employees)

Employees may request one (1) day of Community Service Leave (CSL) during a calendar year, which is prorated for part-time employees. CSL is subject to completion of the CSL procedures outlined in this policy and the following guidelines:

• Employees must have satisfactory performance and not be on a performance improvement plan;
• Employees must receive prior approval from their supervisor. The supervisor may require leave be taken at an alternative time, based on operational needs of the department;
• Employees will be required to provide documented proof of volunteer service hours from the service organization;
• CSL does not contribute to time worked in determining overtime pay and will be offset by any additional time worked during a work week;
• CSL that is not used in a calendar year does not carry forward to the next calendar year;
• If an Employee transfers from one unit to another unit without a break in service, any unused CSL will be transferred to the new unit for use in that same calendar year; and
• CSL is not paid out upon termination or retirement.

Court/Jury Duty (Applies Only to Staff Employees)

Any employee who submits to their supervisor a copy of their subpoena to serve as a juror or as a witness shall be granted time off for actual time for such duty and reasonable travel time when such absence occurs during their regularly scheduled hours of work. A copy of the subpoena must be retained at the departmental/unit level. Employees shall be required to return to their jobs at the end of the daily court duty if there are more than four (4) hours remaining in the work schedule. Employees normally scheduled to work on the second or third shift who are selected for court/jury duty will be expected to report for work in accordance with their assigned schedules if they are excused from such service before having served four (4) hours or more. Appearance in court for traffic or other violations or as a party in a lawsuit must be charged to an appropriate leave balance or leave without pay.

Voting (Applies to All Employees)

In accordance with state statutes, any person who is entitled to vote on Election Day may be absent up to four (4) hours if the voter applies for the time off prior to Election Day. Supervisors may grant up to two (2) consecutive hours off from regular duties with pay to vote and may determine when such time is to be taken during the day. The employee may use vacation leave or personal days, for the remaining two (2) hours.

Education Leave (Applies to All Employees)

Educational leave with pay shall be granted to any employee who is required as a part of the job to enroll in or attend a college, university, training academy, short course, seminar, conference, or other meeting.

Release time from the regular work schedule may be granted by unit heads to employees to attend university classes during normal working hours for their personal benefit provided:

a. The release time will not cause an undue hardship on the operations of the unit or upon the working conditions of other personnel in the unit; and

b. Any time missed from the normal work schedule for classified staff to attend such classes will be made up during the same workweek in which the absence(s) occurs; and

c. The employee has demonstrated and documented satisfactory performance.

Personal Leave (Applies Only to Classified Staff Employees)

The university will provide occasional time off with pay for classified employees to conduct personal business which cannot be transacted outside normal working hours, such as real estate closings, religious observances, court appearance other than jury duty or as a witness (See Court/Jury Duty section above), and family responsibilities.

During the calendar year, a classified staff employee may take up to two (2) days of personal leave with pay. Personal leave will be authorized by the supervisor when it aligns with both department and employee needs. A minimum of three (3) workdays' notice should be given whenever possible. In emergencies, however, shorter notice may be given.

Personal leave days are not accrued beyond the calendar year.

For new employees in their six (6) month provisional period, personal leave will be prorated based on hire date.

Whenever an employee moves from one unit to another without a break in regular continuous service, unused personal days shall be transferred to the new unit for future use during the remainder of the calendar year.

Personal leave will not be paid at termination nor in the event an employee transfers into a professional/administrative position.

Professional Leave (Applies Only to Professional/Administrative Staff Employees)

The university will grant, whenever possible, a leave of absence with pay to any exempt professional/administrative staff member who has completed ten (10) continuous years of university service in such capacity. It is anticipated such leaves are to be used for improving the staff member's future contributions to the university by providing a period of time for concentrated scholarly work, research, or other professional development. Such leave may be granted by the Vice President for Human Resources, for up to three (3) months, not more frequently than every five (5) years, on the approval and recommendation of the exempt professional/administrative staff member's immediate supervisor and the vice president, dean or VP/Dean designee.

An exempt professional/administrative staff member who has been granted professional leave is required to return to the university for at least a three (3) month period. If the employee does not successfully return to work and complete the three (3) month period, the employee will be obligated to repay the University of Louisville all remuneration received from the University of Louisville during the period of leave.

Definitions

The supervisor or department/unit head is responsible for reviewing request for leave submissions, determining approval, and notifying the employee of the determination.